Stars
by In The Loft
Summary: "If the alien came from a star," Alice spoke up softly, evidently following her own train of thought. "Which star do you reckon it would be?"


**Well I've been reading the wonderful stories on this archive for ages, and loving this movie ever since I saw it, and I've been meaning to write something for it, but everything I tried was urrrrgh. And then I spent a weekend with my grandparents, and went out one night to watch the stars, and that got me thinking, and this was born. *Warning: I'm British, so if there's any very British terms used here, I apologise, but that's why.* I own nil. **

It was little under a month after what they would come to call 'The Event'. School was near enough for Martin's mom to make him stay home and do extra revision in the morning. Apart from the monstrous amount of damage the town was struggling to repair, everything was back to normal. _Almost _back to normal, anyway. As back to normal as things could get now.

It was Joe's birthday. He hadn't wanted anything special – just to spend the day with his friends and Alice. Just spending time with Alice was the best present he could have asked for, really. Though he was pretty pleased with the new bike his dad had wheeled into the kitchen that morning.

It was getting dark now – the sky the colour of ink, and spattered with stars. They were outside. Because of his leg, Martin had to sit in a chair, but the others were lying on the ground. Joe could hear a _click-click _as Cary flicked his lighter open and shut again.  
>"Don't burn anything," he said, after the silence had stretched on for a few moments.<br>"Yeah, yeah," Cary said. "No promises."

There was a brief scuffle, and Joe – too comfortable to move – got the impression that Charles had attempted to take the lighter off Cary by force.  
>"He <em>bit <em>me!" Charles cried, in outrage. "He _bit _me! What kind of person bites?"  
>"We established a long time ago that Cary isn't a normal person," Preston yawned.<p>

Another silence.

"Has Martin fallen asleep?" Joe asked. Charles shifted next to him, to look up at the chair Martin was slumped in.  
>"Yup."<p>

Joe felt like he might fall asleep any moment too. It was a warm evening, and the sound of his friends' breathing was quite comforting. Alice's hand in his was probably the only thing keeping him awake – where their fingers were linked felt like the centre of the world, and made his stomach twist into unreasonable shapes.

"If the alien came from a star," Alice spoke up softly, evidently following her own train of thought. "Which star do you reckon it would be?"  
>"It didn't come from a star though," Cary pointed out.<br>"You don't know that," Preston argued.  
>"It <em>didn't<em>."  
>"Shut up Cary," Charles growled. "I reckon it's the one just above the church spire there."<br>"I think it's the brightest one," Alice said, dreamily, pointing upwards. "Joe?"  
>"Yeah. The brightest one."<p>

Honestly – Joe would have agreed with her even if she'd said the world was about to explode.

There was a sudden snuffling from Martin, and then he sat up, his shadow falling across them.  
>"Wassgoingon?" he mumbled.<br>"You fell asleep, Smartin."  
>"Don't call me that, Cary."<br>"You're _so _annoying Cary. Remind me why we hang out with him?" Charles said, rolling onto his stomach to look accusingly at Joe.  
>"He can be nice," Joe said, lazily.<br>"Well call me when that happens, because I want to see." Charles grunted, flopping back down.  
>"You're not exactly a charmer yourself, Kaznyk," Cary retorted.<br>"Alright guys!" Preston said, loudly. Always the peacemaker. "If the alien came from a planet, which one do you reckon it came from?"  
>"Jupiter," Joe said, blurting out the first planet that came to mind. He felt bad for Preston, who would always go extremely quiet when the alien was mentioned, and only bring it up to avoid World War Three with Charles and Cary.<br>"Mars," Martin yawned.  
>"Pluto," Alice suggested. "Is Pluto a planet?"<br>"It's a bloody small one if it is," Charles said. "I reckon it came from... Yeah, Jupiter. If it came from a planet."  
>"Where <em>did<em> it come from?" Martin wondered, aloud. No one could answer, and so another companiable silence stretched between them.

"What's the time?" Preston asked, eventually.  
>"Er..." Joe looked at Alice, who looked back – her blue eyes reflecting the stars. She shrugged back her sleeve and checked her watch.<br>"Just gone half nine."  
>"Shit," Cary scrambled up. "I said I'd be back by nine. See you guys. Happy birthday, Joe."<br>"I'm coming with you," Preston said, pushing himself off the ground. "Bye guys. Happy birthday."  
>"Thanks," Joe said.<p>

He closed his eyes as their footsteps faded, and the door into the house shut behind them.  
>"Every time he goes I can breathe again," Charles said, heaving an overdramatic sigh of relief. From out in the street, a car horn sounded. "That'll be mom. Come on Martin – she's giving you a ride home."<br>"Do you want some help up, Martin?" Alice said, sitting up, and letting go of Joe's hand. He felt like his own personal black hole had opened up inside him.  
>"I'm good. Ooooow!"<p>

Joe got up, and together the three of them helped him out of his seat, and handed him his crutches.  
>"Happy birthday, Joe," Charles said, grinning at him. Joe grinned back, and waved them out of the garden. He turned to Alice.<br>"When's your dad coming?"  
>"Soon. Probably." Alice said. "He doesn't do timing very well."<br>"S'okay," Joe said, immediately. He looked back up at the stars, and she did as well, taking his hand and squeezing it. Joe turned to gaze at her, and she smiled at him – her blue eyes crinkling at the corners. Joe willed himself not to turn crimson, or giggle, or do _anything _stupid.

The back door opened, and Jackson Lamb came out.

"Alice. Louis is here."  
>"Oh. Thanks, Mr Lamb."<p>

Joe turned to glower at his father, who winked, and retreated back inside. Joe heard him ask Louis whether he wanted a drink of any sort. Alice coughed, awkwardly. Her hair was the same colour as the moon, Joe noticed, absently. Golden.  
>"I should go."<br>"Yeah."

There was a short pause, then Alice came forward, and kissed him on the cheek.  
>"Happy birthday Joe," she whispered, and hurried out of the garden.<p>

Joe wasn't quite sure how long he stood there alone, feeling his heart beat ten times as fast as normal, practically _glowing _red, but he became aware of his father, standing behind him soon enough.  
>"Good birthday?" he asked, clapping a hand on his son's shoulder.<p>

They weren't quite ready to hug one another yet.

"The best," Joe said, smiling out at the garden. Jackson Lamb gave a laugh.  
>"I'm glad."<p>

Joe wondered whether he had seen Alice kiss him on the cheek, and felt his cheeks burn again.  
>"Come on in," Jackson said. "It's getting chilly."<p>

Joe turned, abruptly, and threw his arms round his father's middle. He felt Jackson tense –surprised, and then hug his son in return, kissing his hair.  
>"Thanks, Dad. For everything."<br>"I've got you," Jackson whispered.

Maybe it didn't make sense – standing in the garden, with a home bright with lights behind them, both of them healthy and alive, but Joe was glad he'd said it.

Jackson stepped away, and ruffled Joe's hair.  
>"Come on in soon, yeah?"<p>

Joe nodded, and when his father had gone back inside, he looked up at the stars, putting his hands in his pockets.  
>"Love you, mom," he said, eventually, when all the words he wanted to say sounded stupid even in his head.<p>

For the briefest of moments, he thought he could hear her voice.

_Happy birthday, Joe._

**Okay, I know it veered slightly away from stargazing, butttt... I hope you liked it – I think I do, overall. Please review? **


End file.
